Predictive variables of spontaneous micturition recovery after acute urinary retention in men with benign prostatic enlargement: An observational prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Acute urinary retention (AUR) is the sudden and painful inability to urinate spontaneously. AUR is one of the most significant complications of benign prostatic enlargement. The management of AUR is based on transurethral catheterization. Subsequent therapy is uncertain, but AUR seems to benefit from the use of alpha-blockers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the variables that could predict which patients would recover spontaneous micturition after trial without catheter.

METHODS: The present prospective observational study included men with AUR in an Italian tertiary care institute in 2016. Patients were catheterized and treated orally with fluoroquinolones, alpha-blockers, and Serenoa repens extracts. Preoperative variables as age, C-reactive protein (CRP), previous prostate-specific antigen values, urinary retention volume, prostate volume, and scores on a modified International Prostate Symptom Score questionnaire (IPSS-4), were investigated in relation to spontaneous micturition recovery.

RESULTS: Mean (±SD) age was 68.4 ± 7.1 years. Spontaneous and valid micturition recovery was observed in 11 patients (29.7%), whereas 26 (70.3%) needed to be catheterized again. The IPSS-4 score was significantly lower (9 vs 17; P < .001) and CRP values were significantly higher (43.00 vs 1.00 mg/dL; P < .001) in patients who recovered spontaneous micturition. The IPSS-4 scores and CRP showed an area under the curve of 0.85 and 0.87, respectively. for the prediction of spontaneous and valid micturition recovery.

CONCLUSION: CRP and IPSS-4 could be useful tools to predict spontaneous micturition recovery after catheterization associated with medical therapy for AUR.